


A Leg Up

by yaoi_yaoieverywhere



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Banter, Fluff and Humor, Implied Lesbian Zelda, It's important to me that if Link find a hot fish prince that Zelda finds a hot Gerudo woman ok, M/M, Spoilers, Transformation, Zora Mask huehue
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 01:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10478685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yaoi_yaoieverywhere/pseuds/yaoi_yaoieverywhere
Summary: Oh yes, of course Link finds a very convenient Zora Mask in the middle of his quest. It just makes sense!It also makes sense that he puts it away until he finds a use for it too. But that doesn't happen until a bit after his huge quest is done...





	

**Author's Note:**

> *crashes in* HOW DID I GET IN HERE. WHERE IS THE ZELDA OF MY CHILDHOOD. WHY CAN'T I GET A SWITCH. GENERAL SCREAMING
> 
> Do you want me to continue this with explicit content? Vote on your phones now ;)))
> 
> It's nearly 2:30 AM and I don't remember why I wrote this but rest assured there's gotta be a chapter 2 somewhere because NOTHING REALLY HAPPENS

Exploring the area where he'd defeated Vah Ruta probably shouldn't have been at the top of Link's priorities. Technically it wasn't although it was certainly the closest one, so... No one can really fault him for being curious. Places like this tended to hide treasures he could take that would somehow inevitably help later on. That's just how his luck worked.

Sure enough there was a chest hidden for him to find. The thing looked absolutely worn from humidity wearing on the wood and metal. The whole thing basically collapses after he pries it open to reveal a cushioned interior and an intricate mask.

Making a curious noise in his throat, Link turned the mask this way and that in the light. It had the face of a Zora but the colors were somewhat odd. He'd never seen a yellow Zora in town but, then again, it's not like this was the only place Zora's could exist.

There was odd texture to the mask as well. The back was smooth as porcelain and the front was ridged ever so slightly as if it actually had scales. The eyes were almost translucent but Link could still see the black slit of a pupil. It should feel cold. Why doesn't it?

For now Link stashes the mask away and thinks no further of it. Perhaps it was a relic lost to time. Somehow though he could not part with it for long on his travels.

It is a long time before he thinks on it again in detail. So long that Zelda is out of the castle and Ganon is gone once more. She holds it with only her finger tips and stares with wary eyes. The mask is familiar to her somehow.

"I can't be sure," She'd admitted when Link prodded her with curiosity. "But I think this is some... Some offshoot of Majora's Mask. It certainly feels like very invasive magic which it would have to be to transform the wearer from one species to another. The fix for the other masks like this is a simple song of healing but those were made long before Zora's looked like this. At the very least be careful if you put it on."

"Transform..." Link muttered while scratching his head. The idea boggled the mind. Surely if there was magic strong enough to change what people looked like so thoroughly it would be commonplace by now?

"The magic wasn't really a Hylian trick." How like Zelda to know what he wanted to ask. "Another Hero found it long ago in a neighboring land. There was some drama with the moon but all said and done it only took three days and The Hero wasn't exactly interested in exploring it. The books are all filled with secondhand accounts of his time there."

Somehow three days didn't seem like quite long enough. Though why Link thought that was anyone's guess. Taking the mask back he ran gentle fingertips along the outside again. When he looked at it, he thought of the height difference between himself and Sidon. How would it feel to be on his level? Or at least, closer to it?

"You're up to something."

"Probably." Link admits with a quiet smile. A little mischief couldn't hurt, especially since Ganon was officially gone. "I can't follow you inside the Gerudo village anyway."

"You could," She pressed him. When he rolled his eyes, she sighed, throwing her hands up and letting the reigns droop in her hands. Epona snorted at the action. "Alright, so maybe the fact my knight is a man is a little too well known. Even if you did manage to sneak in there before."

"Undercover, and even then it was a close call." Link reminded her with a gentle shove as he pocketed the mask with his free hand. "You go have fun in the desert without worrying about me. It's perfectly safe for you there as long as you avoid the man who paces outside the walls occasionally."

"And where will you be off to, hmm?" Eyes sharp with knowing, her smile was concealing laughter. "Perhaps you miss that dashing fishy prince?"

"No more than you miss the tanned abs of the Gerudo women." Zelda turned a brilliant shade of pink but grudgingly accepted that. Link's ears were already red anyway. "Now you said there was a song that helped with the mask...?"

For a moment it was silent, and then a thrumming of peaceful days spilled from Zelda's lips. It was a simple little thing that would probably be beautiful beyond words with instruments. Somehow the wind was sweeter in that moment. And then it stopped and his chest felt refreshingly empty.

"Songs have a lot of power, you know. Or at least they used to." Her smile was wane as she tugging on his ponytail. "See you around, Hero. I expect to see you in front of the Gerudo Village in your finest disguise a week from now at the very most."

Then they parted ways. Gone in a flash of light, and then Link relaxed under the humidity that clouded around the Zora's domain. The grass was always a deeper green here, and Link couldn't help but find an edge of the lake to sit by. Stripping his feat bare and rolling up the cuffs of his pants, he let the warm waters soothe his feet.

Mask a weight in his palm again, Link considered putting it on. It would be very much like slipping on the Gerudo outfit he'd acquired. Anonymity in the crowd after some fashion. But then, Sidon wasn't likely to recognize him either. He wondered if the Prince was always so friendly with everyone he met sometimes.

At times he wondered about Sidon a great deal more than he seemed to about anyone else. It wasn't so much of a surprise considering how often Sidon treated Link like a real person. Who he also liked enough to brag about, but still. Heart thumping sweetness and courage to boot...

"Linny, is that you?"

Such thoughts are why Kodah makes him physically jump out of the water by sheer fright when she pops up to say hello. She actually looks upset that he's wheezing because of her instead of upset because he'd nearly had his sword at her throat.

"What's got you so tense now Linny?" 

"Things?" Dragging out the 's' a bit too long, Link looked at Kodah curiously. "I have a week to spend here." The sheer amount of fish she had made it plain what she'd been doing out here before making a point to startle him. Her eyes catch on the glint of gold from the mask in his hands.

"Oh wow, where'd you find that?" Only Link's honed reflexes keep it out of her hands. She pouted at him but let her hands fall into the water with a splash. "I didn't know people made masks that looked like that."

"I found it after a battle." Link offered quietly before letting her look more closely at the mask. "Zelda says it's magic."

"Transformation magic?" Kodah trilled as she ogled the mask. "Have you tried it out yet?"

"No..." Would clothes get in the way? That was a genuine concern. At the very least he had a few things to change into if things were wrong. 

"Do it, do it! I want to know what you'd look like as one of us!" 

"My bags-" Link says haltingly because Kodah hauls herself out of the water. 

"I'll take care of that for you. Go on, I can tell you've been thinking about it for ages." Kodah winked cheerily at him as she gathered up his things. "You always travel with so many weapons it's a wonder you aren't built like a brick house."

"Not my fault," Link huffed before staring at the mask one more time. Taking a deep breath, he filled it around and slid it on. The sensation was nauseating and horrific, all in one. Things shifting in ways they shouldn't and the whispers of something else moving through him. If he'd been able to make a noise... But he couldn't.

When the world comes floating back to him, he presses his face in his hands to still everything. The back of his head is heavier and the back was twitching of all things. Pulling both hands away, he looks into the reflection on the water.

"Wow," Kodah breathes beside him. "I've never seen anyone with scales quite so... Golden."

Neither had he. Gently feeling where his hair used to be, he felt more than saw his... Is it really called a tail...? The back of his head moving slowly. He was larger too, but obviously not larger than Sidon as he stood shakily next to Kodah. 

"Do you think anyone will know it's me?" It's said more out of curiosity than any real want to stay hidden. Kodah hums thoughtfully at that as she starts moving slowly, letting Link adjust to the shorter leg to torso ratio.

"You have the same voice but people get mistaken for someone else when they just take off their glasses sometimes. It'll be fun to find out, ey?"

"Fun." Link snorts with bemusement. "Maybe Sidon will notice."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" She just laughed when Link gave her an appalled stare. "It's quite obvious Linny! With your luck you really should just be upfront about it though."

She might have a point there. Though Link wasn't going to make a point to go up to Sidon until he was a little more accustomed to things like say, walking in a straight line. Regular fish out of water right here...

Which is precisely why one of the first people to see Link in Zora form was Prince Sidon. If luck could mess with any of Link's well made and intended plans then it surely would he thought surly to himself as Sidon jubilantly greeted Kodah before turning to him.

"And here I thought I knew every Zora here! It's nice to meet you," Sidon looked Link in the eyes as he waited for a name. Fucking god, Hylia above, if someone could just strike him down now. He'd done his job! Slept for a hundred years! Gotten rid of Ganon even!

"Come now Sidon, you know Linny!"

"Linny?" Sidon blinked, looking back and forth between Kodah and Link with thoughtful eyes. Link closed his eyes and sighed. Better to get it over with now.

"I'm-" Link started, but then Sidon's eyes widened in recognition and his fist gently met his palm.

"Link?!" Sidon's face was an open book of surprise and deep interest already. "I'd recognize your voice anywhere! How unexpected to see you so..."

"Handsome," Kodah coughed gently into her hand. "Oh pardon me, must be the lake water."

"The doctor is always there if you think you're coming down with something." Sidon was genuinely concerned and Link couldn't help but soften at his slightly naive concern. Was it even possible to be over a hundred years old and still so genuinely nice?

"Of course I will Prince, no need to worry about me. Oh, but, Link, where are you staying? Your Princess let you have the week here right?" Link was confused. Wasn't it obvious he was going to stay at her hotel for the next few nights? Before he could even open his mouth though Sidon had an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"He can stay in the Palace, of course! Our brave hero that saved the world deserves at least that much." His words were so warm as Link stood a little dazed against him. "Are those his things?"

"Oh yes my Prince." Kodah's handed the heavy bags over with a smile. "Linny has worked very hard for us. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get to work on these fish!"

With Kodah running off and Sidon in no rush to make Link move from his side, Link found himself wondering how exactly he was so easily dragged into these sorts of things. Was he a pushover? Too willing to help where it was needed? Dropped on his head a few too many times in battle...?

"It's good to see you home, Link." Sidon's smile was a little less frightening now that Link was closer to his size. He came up to his chin which was quite the accomplishment in his mind.

"Home?" Link quirked a brow, watching Sidon's hand rub his head sheepishly.

"Well... You came here to relax, so. I thought it wasn't too much of a stretch." Sidon's eyes were warm. "It would be nice for you to consider this place a home."

"Yeah." Link echoed the sentiment softly. "Yeah, it kind of is." Because Sidon was here most of all. That in itself made this place a home of the sort Link wasn't sure he could ever truly want to leave behind. Even as his heart thundered for combat and open plains.


End file.
